


I Spy

by blackkat



Series: Trashy & Tropey [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Humor, Mutual Pining, Spies & Secret Agents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27376975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat
Summary: “Barriss?” Ahsoka hisses, bewildered.Barriss, in a fancier dress than Ahsoka has ever seen her in, covered in tattoos and dripping jewelry, freezes stock-still on the stairs into the casino, and Ahsoka feels the bright-sharp flare of her panic a half-second before she spins to face Ahsoka.
Relationships: Barriss Offee/Ahsoka Tano
Series: Trashy & Tropey [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999795
Comments: 24
Kudos: 329





	I Spy

**Author's Note:**

> For the trope "Agents of the Crown".

“ _Barriss_?” Ahsoka hisses, bewildered.

Barriss, in a fancier dress than Ahsoka has ever seen her in, covered in tattoos and dripping jewelry, freezes stock-still on the stairs into the casino, and Ahsoka feels the bright-sharp flare of her panic a half-second before she spins to face Ahsoka.

“Ahs— _you_ ,” she says, and pulls back like she’s offended. “How dare you show up in front of me again, after—after last time!”

Ahsoka splutters, because last time they were together they were sharing a meal in the Temple dining hall, and Ahsoka even let Barriss steal her fruit. She doesn’t even let _Rex_ steal her fruit. If Barriss is offended by something she did then, Ahsoka has no earthly idea what it could be, and she scrambles to follow her up the stairs as she stalks away.

This probably counts as abandoning her mission, and since it’s her _first_ mission as a full Knight, Ahsoka assumes she probably shouldn’t be doing that, but— _Barriss_. And, potentially, another Jedi nearby, which wasn’t in any of the mission briefings.

“Bar—” she starts, then realizes she has no idea what name Barriss is using when she’s obviously undercover and switches to, “ _Hey_. I didn’t mean it!”

They're drawing some attention from the other patrons, but before Ahsoka can worry about blown covers and ruined missions, Barriss makes a sharp right turn into a much quieter hallway, and Ahsoka ducks after her, pushing up the sleeves of her fancy jacket and bracing for an argument about covers—

A hand grabs her arm and drags her sideways, and a slim hand over her mouth muffles her yelp. Barriss pulls Ahsoka into a narrow closet filled with coats, then waves the door shut, leaving them in complete darkness. There's a tense moment, and then Barriss huffs and reaches up, clicking on a lone light.

“I don’t need _backup_ ,” she says, and the slant of her mouth is annoyed, but also hurt. “The Council knows I have all the ins I need with the group—”

Ahsoka blinks, then hisses, indignation flaring. “ _I'm_ investigating the Black Tide,” she says. “The Council sent me specifically!”

Barriss’s mouth opens, closes. “Master Tholme sent me,” she says. “ _He_ wouldn’t assign two Jedi—”

Ahsoka scowls at her, folding her arms across her chest. “ _This_ is what you were being cagey about last time? Stealing my mission?”

“It’s _my_ —oh, I _suppose_ ,” Barriss huffs, and raises her hands. “I had to get _fake tattoos_ for this!”

Ahsoka can't help the way her eyes flicker to the edge of Barriss’s dress where it curves across her throat. There’s a geometric pattern that vanishes beneath the cloth, and Ahsoka kind of wants to figure out how far down it goes. Barriss is thorough when it comes to undercover work.

“They're nice tattoos,” she offers, and coughs, turning her face away. “I—does your cover need a bodyguard? Because I'm supposed to be here for an interview as security, but…”

A quick smile flickers over Barriss’s face, and a little of her tension eases. “No wonder you forgot your sleeves,” she teases, and covers her smile with one hand. “I thought you were just trying too hard to show off all the weightlifting you’ve been doing.”

“Been doing for a _reason_ ,” Ahsoka protests, and raises one arm, flexing pointedly. “I can bench Rex. _In_ his armor.”

Barriss freezes, her eyes going wide. Her gaze flickers from Ahsoka's arm to her face, and she swallows. “Oh,” she says, a little faintly, and then, quickly, “Bodyguard. That sounds good. You can…guard. My body.”

Oh no, Ahsoka thinks, and it feels like standing on a cliff’s edge, teetering without knowing that’s at the bottom. Barriss is…really pretty. Especially right now. But—

They're both Shadows. They can manage this. It’ll be _easy_. A piece of cake.

“Deal,” she says, and pushes open the door.


End file.
